Crimson Criticized In Magazine Article

An editor of The Harvard Crimson alleges that the newspaper's efforts to diversify its editorial board have resulted in anti-Jewish practices, according to an article he wrote for this month's issue of Commentary, the magazine of the American Jewish Committee.

Justin C. Danilewitz '99--who sought but did not receive a position on The Crimson's current executive board--wrote in his article, "Counting Noses at The Harvard Crimson," that the current editorial chairs were chosen in part because of their support for policies dealing with a "problem" of "too many" Jews.

In interviews yesterday, Crimson leaders responded sharply, calling Danilewitz's comments off-base.

"I feel sorry for [Danilewitz] that he has to make up fictitious quota systems to justify his not getting a position," said former Crimson President Joshua J. Schanker '98. "I'm sorry if he's doing it out of sour grapes."

The Crimson never excluded anyone in its attempts to broaden its writing pool, said former Managing Editor Valerie J. MacMillan '98.

"You'd never try to limit people who are committed to work," she said. "The Crimson's efforts to diversify are at rock bottom inclusive in nature."

In his article, Danilewitz describes a meeting with MacMillan in which he says that she "flabbergasted [him] by stating the `problem' she was referring to was the fact that so large a percentage of the paper's columnists were Jews."

Danilewitz said yesterday he was angered by MacMillan's comment.

"Objectively speaking, I think most people in the mainstream today would say that exclusion of Jews is wrong," he said.

MacMillan acknowledged she had called the fact that eight of The Crimson's 10 columnists were white Jews problematic.

"It's a problem any time you have a statisticthat dramatic because in order to have aneditorial page that reflects intellectualdiversity, I believe you have to have a diversityof backgrounds," she said.

MacMillan said, however, her concerns did nottranslate into any specific policy in determiningthe makeup of the current board.

MacMillan said the number of Jews with regulareditorial columns had been a topic of discussionamong members of her board. But she added thatthey examined similar demographic statistics, suchas the percent of editors and executives receivingfinancial aid.

In the Commentary article, Danilewitz alsodiscussed the position papers of the two currenteditorial chairs, Daniel M. Suleiman '99 andGeoffrey C. Upton '99, who are both Jewish.Danilewitz wrote that the platforms of his twocompetitors dealt with ways to reduce the 80percent of The Crimson's columnists who were saidto be Jewish.

"Any person would wonder--after having read theposition papers of Upton and Suleiman--if therewasn't something more insidious taking place,"Danilewitz told The Crimson, referring to his ownrejection.

Schanker said Danilewitz's religion was"definitely not a consideration" in denying him aboard position.

"[Danilewitz] had not put in the work necessaryto secure a position on the executive board, justlike all others who did not become executives,"Schanker said.

Danilewitz said he had actually hoped for alower position than editorial chair, but concededthat "there may have been any number of reasons"why he did not receive an executive boardposition.

Danilewitz also applied in January for aregular editorial column himself, but did notreceive one.

Suleiman and Upton said they did not denyDanilewitz a column because of his religion.

They acknowledged that the percentage of Jewishcolumnists did decline, but they emphasized thatthey decreased the proportion of Jewish writers byincreasing the number of columnists. Currently,nine of 16 columnists are Jewish according toSuleiman and Upton.

The Crimson has undertaken several initiativesrecently in order to combat a perceived problem ofhomogeneity among its staff members, particularlyon the editorial pages.

"It is essential to our mission as the paper ofrecord for the Harvard community to reflect thediversity of that community," said currentPresident Matthew W. Granade '99.

Schanker said The Crimson was six days latecovering last year's elections of the BlackStudents Association because no staff membersbrought the story to the attention of the editors.He cited this as an example of the need for racialdiversity.

He also noted that "all of the presidents ofThe Crimson have been white and only five havebeen women--some people do think that's aproblem."

Danilewitz wrote in his article that TheCrimson's diversity efforts are superficial,interested only in the skin color of its writers.He said the paper still lacks politicallyconservative writers.

"I find the editorials page to be a lot lessinteresting to read these days," he told TheCrimson. "The notion of diversity is a lot ofpeople who look different but think alike.

Suleiman and Upton said they were also makingefforts to achieve diversity of opinion.

"We need to work harder on ideologicaldiversity," Suleiman said, "but we're tryinghard."

Danilewitz declined to comment on any fees hemay have been paid by Commentary. He said that hehad approached the magazine's editors with hisidea and they approved the project

"It's a problem any time you have a statisticthat dramatic because in order to have aneditorial page that reflects intellectualdiversity, I believe you have to have a diversityof backgrounds," she said.

MacMillan said, however, her concerns did nottranslate into any specific policy in determiningthe makeup of the current board.

MacMillan said the number of Jews with regulareditorial columns had been a topic of discussionamong members of her board. But she added thatthey examined similar demographic statistics, suchas the percent of editors and executives receivingfinancial aid.

In the Commentary article, Danilewitz alsodiscussed the position papers of the two currenteditorial chairs, Daniel M. Suleiman '99 andGeoffrey C. Upton '99, who are both Jewish.Danilewitz wrote that the platforms of his twocompetitors dealt with ways to reduce the 80percent of The Crimson's columnists who were saidto be Jewish.

"Any person would wonder--after having read theposition papers of Upton and Suleiman--if therewasn't something more insidious taking place,"Danilewitz told The Crimson, referring to his ownrejection.

Schanker said Danilewitz's religion was"definitely not a consideration" in denying him aboard position.

"[Danilewitz] had not put in the work necessaryto secure a position on the executive board, justlike all others who did not become executives,"Schanker said.

Danilewitz said he had actually hoped for alower position than editorial chair, but concededthat "there may have been any number of reasons"why he did not receive an executive boardposition.

Danilewitz also applied in January for aregular editorial column himself, but did notreceive one.

Suleiman and Upton said they did not denyDanilewitz a column because of his religion.

They acknowledged that the percentage of Jewishcolumnists did decline, but they emphasized thatthey decreased the proportion of Jewish writers byincreasing the number of columnists. Currently,nine of 16 columnists are Jewish according toSuleiman and Upton.

The Crimson has undertaken several initiativesrecently in order to combat a perceived problem ofhomogeneity among its staff members, particularlyon the editorial pages.

"It is essential to our mission as the paper ofrecord for the Harvard community to reflect thediversity of that community," said currentPresident Matthew W. Granade '99.

Schanker said The Crimson was six days latecovering last year's elections of the BlackStudents Association because no staff membersbrought the story to the attention of the editors.He cited this as an example of the need for racialdiversity.

He also noted that "all of the presidents ofThe Crimson have been white and only five havebeen women--some people do think that's aproblem."

Danilewitz wrote in his article that TheCrimson's diversity efforts are superficial,interested only in the skin color of its writers.He said the paper still lacks politicallyconservative writers.

"I find the editorials page to be a lot lessinteresting to read these days," he told TheCrimson. "The notion of diversity is a lot ofpeople who look different but think alike.

Suleiman and Upton said they were also makingefforts to achieve diversity of opinion.

"We need to work harder on ideologicaldiversity," Suleiman said, "but we're tryinghard."

Danilewitz declined to comment on any fees hemay have been paid by Commentary. He said that hehad approached the magazine's editors with hisidea and they approved the project